New Code of Conduct for Members of the Commission announced

In his State of the Union 2017 speech, President Juncker announced a new Code of Conduct for Members of the Commission. The proposed rules should set new standards for ethical rules in Europe. The proposal is a follow-up to Juncker's push for greater transparency since the beginning of his mandate and his recent proposal to extend the "cooling-off" period from currently 18 months to two years for former Commissioners, and to three years for the President of the Commission. The proposal goes further by setting clearer rules and higher ethical standards as well as introducing greater transparency in a number of areas. It will also create an Independent Ethical Committee replacing the current Ad-hoc Ethical Committee, to reinforce its status, to strengthen scrutiny and to provide advice on ethical standards.

The new Code of Conduct for Members of the Commission includes: Post-office activities, Preventing conflicts of interest, Financial interests, Transparency and accountability, Enforcing the rules.

As a next step, on the basis of the Framework Agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission, President Juncker will consult the European Parliament. The proposed Code of Conduct will enter into force on 1 February 2018. It will then be applicable to all current Members of the Juncker Commission.